


We Were Almost Home

by Tiny_Black_Cat



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: (?), (or the aftermath of), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Episode: s03e09 Save Henry, F/F, Hook and Neal are the ones that die, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Magical Violence, Neverland (Once Upon a Time), Season/Series 03, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-03-17 11:41:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18964525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiny_Black_Cat/pseuds/Tiny_Black_Cat
Summary: On the way back from Neverland, a storm causes an accident that sends Emma reeling.





	We Were Almost Home

**Author's Note:**

> (Two major character deaths, as noted in the summary)
> 
> In a storm, both Neal and Hook drown. Emma is upset and isolates herself.
> 
> In the story Emma has feelings for both Neal and Hook so if you don't like that, you probably won't like the story.
> 
> Written 9/4/14

“Neal! Get away from the railing!” Emma shouted. They had defeated Pan and finally saved Henry, and now Neal decided to risk his life again.

“Don’t worry so much Emma, it’s perfectly fine!” Neal grinned. “This isn’t my first time on a ship.”

Next to Emma, Hook has his eyes locked on Neal while holding the steering wheel steady.

“She’s right, mate,” he said to Neal. “The sea isn’t exactly calm right now.”

“Relax,” Neal said.

The boat shuddered and he fell overboard.

“Neal!” Emma screamed.

“Emma,” Hook said, staring intently at her. “Neal loves you. I do too. Hold the wheel.”

She had no choice but to keep the ship steady as Hook dove in after Neal. She needed someone to hold the steering wheel.

“Mary Margaret!” she yelled.

Snow White ran to her daughter's side.

“Neal, he - and Hook - hold the wheel,” Emma repeated Hook’s last words to Snow and rushed to the side of the ship. She saw both men in the water, and neither of them were moving. Emma started to climb over the ship’s rail, determined to share their fate.

 

Regina saw what Emma was about to do and rushed forward, pulling her backwards with so much force that she fell, landing on top of Regina. Regina scrambled to stand up and grab Emma, pinning her arms to her sides.

There was no need: all the fight had gone out of Emma. She sat there, staring at the ocean that had killed two men she loved.

Rumpelstiltskin took the wheel from Snow and she hurried over.

“What happened?” she said, looking from Emma to Regina.

“Hook and Neal went overboard,” Regina said. “I believe they're - Emma, she - tried to follow."

Snow’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at her daughter.

“Emma?” she said. “Sweetie, please talk to me.

Charming walked up to the scene. “Snow, what ...?” his voice trailed off into silence as Snow gestured to the waves.

“Are you sure they can’t be saved?” Charming asked Regina.

“Yes,” she responded. "I - " she raised an arm as if to feel for something. "They're gone"

Snow was trying to get a response from Emma.

“Emma!”

“Stop it,” Regina snapped. She drew Emma closer to her as she spoke. “Snow White, in your perfect little life you have never lost your true love. I have. It is quite possibly the worst pain ever. And Emma is suffering twice as much as I did. So don’t just try to tell her to snap out of it!”

She might’ve walked away right then and there, but she knew she shouldn’t leave Emma. Or couldn’t.

“Maybe she just wants to be alone,” she said. “We can take her belowdeck.”

 

Regina carried Emma belowdeck and placed her on one of the bunks.

Emma groaned. “Not Henry,” she said. “He’s too much like Neal, I can’t - “

Regina looked back at Henry. “Henry,” she said. “She’s tired, and ... other things. Why don’t we leave her alone and I’ll tell you about it.”

As they came up they passed Snow going down.

“Snow!” Regina called. She lowered her voice so that Henry couldn’t hear. “Emma doesn’t want to see Henry. He reminds her of Neal. Okay?”

“Okay,” Snow agreed, surprised at Regina being considerate.

She descended. She found Emma lying on the bed on her side, her back to anyone who would come in.

“Emma?” Snow said softly.

Emma didn’t react.

“Can I do anything for you?”

“Go away,” Emma said.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea right now,” Snow said.

Emma turned to face Snow, her eyes red with crying. “Go away!” she repeated.

At her words a burst of light knocked Snow away into a wall. Through her pain, it barely registered in Emma’s mind that she could do magic. She wiped her eyes and motioned to the door. Once again magic lifted Snow and threw her out the door. Snow didn’t come back in.

 

Of all the people, the next to visit Emma was Tinker Bell. Emma closed her eyes and tried to ignore the fairy.

“Emma, look, I know you’re sad, and I know it feels like the world is ending, but it’s not. You saved Henry!” She sat down on Emma’s bunk.

“A person can have more than one True Love, Emma. I know I don’t have magic right now, but when we get to Storybrooke, the Blue Fairy can fix that and I can help you find your happy ending.”

Emma rolled onto her back and gestured, and Tinker Bell screamed as she was thrown out of the room. She walked the rest of the way abovedeck.

Emma dragged herself out of bed to the doorway. She drew a line across it in her own tears, and stepped back as the view from the doorway became hazy.

That should keep everyone out.

 

Regina had to admit that it was funny to see Snow White run into an invisible barrier. But instead of being annoyed, Snow panicked.

“David!” she yelled. Charming came running. “She’s put up some sort of spell, I can’t get in!”

Regina appeared behind them. “It’s a Barrier Spell. And it’s no use trying to yell to her, because it blocks sound as well,” she added, as Snow attempted to do just that.

“How do we get in?” Snow asked. Regina pushed her aside and examined the barrier.

And then she walked through it. She returned, and explained, “You can’t get in, I can.”

“How? Charming asked.

Regina hesitated.

“What?” said Snow.

“Did you ever notice how Emma gained control of her powers when she suffered a great loss? It wasn’t a coincidence.” Regina said. “Magic is emotion, whether it be anger or love - “

“Or grief,” Snow finished.

“Yes,” Regina said. “But grief doesn’t make strong magic, so it isn’t that hard to walk through her spell. I am the only one who can go through, so maybe I should talk to her.”

“Rumpelstiltskin could,” Snow said.

“He could,” Regina agreed. “But do you really want that?"

“You go,” Charming said.

Snow looked at her husband, but said nothing. Without another word, Regina crossed the barrier.

 

“Don’t bother using magic on me, I am much more trained than you,” Regina said. “And sadness doesn’t make powerful magic anyway.”

Emma didn’t so much as twitch when she heard Regina’s voice, not like Regina expected her to anyway.

“Your mother and father,” she continued, “wanted me to talk to you. So here I am.”

No response.

“I could give you the ‘I know how you feel’ speech.” Regina could tell Emma wasn’t sleeping, her eyes were open, staring at the ceiling.

“I’ll just - go then, I suppose.” Regina started to walk out.

“Wait,” Emma said.

Regina froze.

“I ... don’t think I should be alone right now.”

“Okay,” Regina said, startled.

She sat down across from Emma. But Emma didn’t seem inclined to make conversation.

Regina decided to try again. “Henry needs a mother,” she said. “Not that he doesn’t have me, but he needs you. And I need you.”

Emma turned to look at Regina, but she immediately tried to take it back.

“You're the only reasonable person in this town” Regina said.

Emma seemed to deflate a bit, probably because Regina had stopped talking about Henry.

An awkward silence descended.

“Is that the only reason?” Emma finally asked.

“Yes,” Regina said.

“You’re lying,” Emma said sadly, and turned away.

Regina didn’t know what to say. If she said what she was really thinking, she could get hurt, or she could be happy. It might ease Emma’s pain. And Henry was wanting Regina to change.

But this wasn’t about Henry. This was about her and Emma. It was about selflessness, and courage.

Regina got up and sat on Emma’s bed.

“You know what I think?” Regina said. “I think -“ Emma was staring at her. “I think that when I saw you you about to jump into the ocean, my mind went blank, except for for one thought: save Emma. When I saw the look on your face afterwards, I felt like my own heart was being ripped out of my chest - I’ve experienced it. And so I think I’m falling for you, which is weird because for a while we hated eachother -“ Regina stopped talking as Emma hugged her, tears falling from her face.

"It's going to be okay," she told her.

**Author's Note:**

> https://www.pillowfort.social/Aliena


End file.
